Deadline: June 12, 2023.

Since its establishment in 1991, the GEF has enabled environmental action by providing over $22 billion in grants and blended finance. Some of the GEF funding projects include the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), which helps safeguard water resources, agriculture and food security, health, disaster risk management and prevention, infrastructure and fragile ecosystems. The GEF’s new climate adaptation strategy for the 2022-2026 period will support the adaptation needs of small island developing states (SIDS), and support countries to adopt climate-resilient technologies and adaptation solutions.  

This fellowship to the GEF’s Seventh Assembly, which will be held from August 22-26 in Vancouver, Canada, will strengthen journalists’ capacity to cover real-time changes to global environmental and climate financing instruments and their implications.  

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible for the fellowship, the applicant must:   

• Be a professional journalist from or representing an established media house from a low- or middle-income country. 
• Have previous experience reporting on environmental issues. Experience covering climate and environmental financing is a plus. 
• Have good command of the English language. 
• Be available to arrive in Vancouver by August 21, 2023 and commit to staying to cover the full week of the Assembly and participate in all fellowship activities. 
• Provide a letter of support from an editor or media outlet, committing to publish or broadcast any stories produced as a result of this fellowship. This is expected of both staffers and freelancers.    
• Submit recent, relevant samples of their journalistic work, which can be uploaded as documents or web links. Work samples can be in any language as long as they are accompanied by a short English synopsis.  
• Journalists can be of any age, but preference will be given to youth journalists (age 35 and under). 

BENEFITS

1. Eight journalists will be selected for the fellowship. In the leadup to the Assembly, EJN will share resources and tools with fellows to help prepare for reporting at the conference.
2. While in Vancouver, fellows will participate in a series of specially designed activities, including an orientation on the key issues covered at this Assembly, daily briefings and interviews with high-level officials.
3. They will be mentored by EJN trainers, who are senior journalists with experience in covering international environmental conferences. Trainers will offer valuable insight into the deliberations happening on the ground, and share feedback and guidance as needed to support Fellows’ story production.
4. Fellows will also engage with their cohort and exchange ideas for effective reporting. 
5. EJN will cover non-refundable economy-class airfare, accommodation, meals, travel insurance, and transportation costs to participate in the fellowship. 

JUDGING CRITERIA

They are looking for applicants who meet the following criteria: 

• Demonstrated experience covering environmental and climate topics. 
• A clear and well-researched reporting plan for the conference, outlining the kinds of stories they will pursue from — and following — the conference, story ideas with the potential for impact and the audience reach of the proposed media outlet. 
• A relationship with an established media house. We strongly encourage you to provide a signed letter of support from an editor agreeing to publish or broadcast work produced at the conference as part of your application.  

OFFICIAL LINK